Cape Town braces for N1 delays as engineers repair damaged 50-tonne bridge

Motorists travelling on the N1 in Cape Town faced traffic disruptions on Monday. Picture: City of Cape Town.

Motorists travelling on the N1 in Cape Town face traffic disruptions on Monday as City engineers continue urgent repairs to a damaged pedestrian bridge on FW de Klerk Boulevard following a truck collision over the weekend.

The bridge, located near Paarden Eiland between Church Street and the Cape Town CBD, sustained significant damage on Saturday night when a truck struck it, forcing the closure of sections of the N1 in both directions while emergency repair work got underway.

According to the City, engineers worked around the clock to stabilise and realign the structure.

The operation involved two cranes lifting and repositioning a massive section of the bridge weighing about 100 tonnes.

City of Cape Town Mayoral Committee Member for Urban Mobility Rob Quintas said teams had made significant progress overnight.

“Our engineers and contractors have worked tirelessly through the night to ensure the damaged bridge is made safe and to minimise disruption to commuters.

“We have successfully realigned the affected section of the bridge, allowing the N1 inbound to reopen for the morning commute,” Quintas said.

While inbound traffic into the CBD has resumed, the N1 outbound remained closed at the time of the update as repair work continued.

“The safety of road users remains our highest priority. Although we have achieved important milestones, further assessments and repairs are required before the outbound lanes can be reopened safely,” Quintas said.

He urged motorists to plan ahead and consider alternative routes while crews continue working at the site.

“We appreciate the patience and cooperation of residents and commuters during this complex operation. Our teams are committed to reopening all affected lanes as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The City confirmed that Lower Church Street remains open to traffic in both directions, providing an alternative access route to and from the CBD.

Officials said repair teams would continue working to restore full traffic flow and minimise the impact on commuters using one of Cape Town’s busiest transport corridors.

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